


Welcome to the jungle

by CHIKDNOODLE



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, F/F, Fluff, I’m a celeb au, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2019-11-28 16:10:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18210563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CHIKDNOODLE/pseuds/CHIKDNOODLE
Summary: There’s a show in the uk called I’m a celebrity get me out of here and I’ve inserted choni into it... enjoy!





	1. Chapter 1

“tomorrow night, two new celebrities will enter the camp, we’ll see how they fare tomorrow at 9pm on itv! So,” Dec smirked, “shall we meet them?”

The studio crew cheered, which just spurred him on more. 

“Well then, run VT!”

—————-

“Hi, I’m Cheryl Blossom.” A young woman with fiery red hair and pale skin was perched on a stool in a hotel room, talking directly into the camera. “And you might know me from Made In Chelsea. Well, that’s how I got famous. Now I design clothing for people richer than myself.” She grinned at the camera.

In supposedly another room, a small woman was precariously crouched on her chair, trying to make herself taller.

“Hey, I’m Toni Topaz,” she ran a tattooed hand through her brown and pink hair. “And if you haven’t guessed, I’m a tattoo artist. One of the best in the world, actually.” Toni smiled sheepishly at the camera.

“Why did I want to come on the show? Umm.. I guess I wanted to do it for my brother. We used to sit and watch it in the living room after we were supposed to be in bed. It’s my way of making him happy even though we’ve drifted.” Cheryl wiped her watery eyes with one manicured hand.

“One of my producers on tattoo fixers dared me to… but also I think the show just holds a place in everybody’s hearts, and I wanna be a part of it.” Toni gave a lopsided grin to the camera, making fans all over the UK already fall in love.

“There isn’t much I’m excited about, i mean im spending three weeks in the jungle, im going to smell like a rat’s arse after this, and my skins going to be like a snakes. But i guess that seeing the camp in person after years of watching it will be fun” 

"I'm most looking forward to winning" Toni replied instantly "got to admit I'm quite competitive so I'm gonna wanna get all the stars and obviously I wanna be queen of the jungle in the end. And the food too, I'm looking forward to trying those famous camp meals, I might be famous for tattoos, but I know my way around a kitchen.”

The last sight of the new arrivals before the video interivews ended was Toni Topaz smiling brightly and then Cheryl shaking her head in despair and muttering "What have you gotten me into Jason?"

———-

This whole experience was completely baffling to Cheryl. She’d done a lot of stupid things in her time: burned down Thornhill, jumped off the bridge at Sweetwater River, made out with Chuck Clayton, but never did she think he would end up in the middle of fuck knows where Australia about to go into the I'm a Celebrity Jungle all because of her twin brother.

After her entrance interview she'd been swept up and driven to a random field where the only other people around had cameras pointing at her bewildered face. Thankfully she wasn’t there alone for long. Ten minutes after arriving, just as she was starting to think that this all might be some elaborate prank by Jason and Josie, another jeep pulled up and out stepped a woman. Not just any woman either. She was small, littered with tattoos and undeniably beautiful. As soon as the mystery girl was safely out of the car it sped off in the other direction leaving them and the film crew alone.

"Hello" Cheryl welcomed the new arrival.

"Hi, I'm Toni" the woman said, "nice to meet you".

"You too" Cheryl replied taking Toni’s hand in her own, shaking it in greeting. "any idea as to what's going on?"

"Unfortunately I think I might" Toni grimaced. Seconds later Cheryl heard it. The familiar sound of a helicopter, hovering ready to land. They made their way over to it and opened up the door. On the floor of the helicopter laid two packs with a laminated note on top. 

Toni took it and read aloud:

"Campers, welcome to the jungle" she said with a giant grin on her face as she side eyed Cheryl, "prepare to jump right into action". 

"Does that mean what I think it means?" Cheryl asked fearfully. 

The answer to her question was yes. That did mean what she thought it meant. She was going to have to jump out of a helicopter. The next hour passed in a blur as, off camera, they were given a safety demonstration on 'how not to die', and gave tiny interviews. 

"I don't know what I hate more the fact I have to jump out a god damn helicopter or the puns" Cheryl said, her new ugly overalls tied around her waist and arms crossed over her chest. 

Toni smirked next to her and turned to speak, "not a fan of puns?" She asked, "you don't find them even slightly punny?"

Cheryl glared but her mouth twitched up in a smile "you're jumping first.”

———-

Having a human being strapped to Cheryl’s back was a new experience and yet not the one she was most focused on because in next to no time she and Toni were being loaded onboard and soon enough they were in the air, the loud whirring of the blades pounding in their ears. 

Toni somehow seemed cool and collected in the face of possible imminent death. Cheryl on the other hand was nervous as anything. Usually when she was experiencing this it was before a big fashion show or interview with important clients where she'd put on a brave face hold her head up high.

Now though, as the doors slid open to reveal the ground so far below she couldn't help but let out a "fuck me". 

Toni giggled, "Bit busy at the minute babe, maybe tomorrow". 

Cheryl could barely comprehend what Toni Topaz had just said because in the blink of an eye She had disappeared, with a loud "woo!", and then suddenly Cheryl was getting pushed closer to the edge. 

"Fuck" she repeated over and over again as she threw her legs over the edge. "Fucking hell!" She screamed. 

She managed to take in two deep breaths before the guy behind her said "and we're off" and suddenly her stomach dropped out her arse. 

——

Toni landed perfectly, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She got untangled from the pretty good looking instructor who'd been strapped behind her and ran her fingers through her pink tinged hair while she waited for the very good looking Cheryl Blossom she'd entered the show with. 

Up in the sky she saw a bright red spot that got closer and closer. Cheryl landed on the bright red star a few meters away. 

Toni ran straight over to her to help her up. "How much fun was that?" Toni asked. 

Cheryl looked up at her and scowled but accepted the outstretched hand anyways and Toni hauled her up. "You must be off your head if you thought that was fun".

"You can't handle a bit of skydiving?" 

"You must have contracted ink poisoning from those tattoos to find that fun". 

Toni slung an arm over her shoulder and said "ah come on you big softie, let's go to the jungle.”

———

Once they were both back on solid ground and Aaron had stopped feeling like he might throw up they were given a map and told to follow it. 

Seeing Aaron and Robert continue to bicker like an old married couple over whether or not the map was upside down or if they were going the right way was a highlight of the episode but after nearly an hour of their moping and snarky comebacks they entered a clearing where they were met with the smiling faces of Ant and Dec. 

"Yay, there they are!" they both cheered "welcome guys!" 

"Hi" both boys smiled, going in to hug them both. 

"I don't suppose you guys are just the welcome wagon right?" Aaron asked, scanning his eyes around the place. He didn't like what he saw. 

"I'm afraid not" Dec laughed. 

"You've got one last task before meeting your campmates, and this time your playing for food". 

"Oh I love food" Robert said. 

Both presenters laughed "shall we just jump straight into today's bush tucker trial?"

"If we have to" Aaron sighed. 

"Ok, this trial is called, Shadow Labyrinth. Underground there are a series of tunnels with stars, one of you will be inside those tunnels, in the pitch black wearing a blindfold, and the other will be up here navigating the other", Ant explained. 

"Sounds easy right?" Dex asked, "wrong, of course this is a bush tucker trial so there will be some friends in there with you". 

"Oh lovely" Aaron sighed. 

"Right let's get you both into place". 

***

"God it reeks worse than the pigs at my high school down here" Cheryl said from where she was on her hands and knees, blindfolded in the dark. 

Both Ant and Dec pulled a face of confusion at her statement. 

Toni had thought she'd gotten the easy job but as Cheryl was being lowered underground Toni had been lead to a large cage where a monitor and microphone were set up just outside and it didn't give the tattoo artist much hope. 

"Ok so remember guys, Toni is going to be directing Cheryl on where to go and where about the stars are, if either of you don't want to continue on with the trial all you have to say is 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here' and we'll get you straight out of there" Dec explained. 

"Of course" Ant continued "that means you'll leave with no stars and no meals for camp".

"No chance" Cheryl said, "I didn't just jump out a helicopter to not have somet to eat so you better be good at this Topaz". 

Toni scoffed "all you have to do is follow orders Bombshell, I'm sure even you can do that". 

Again the presenters shared a look, both trying not to laugh, "right here we go then, you get fifteen minutes, and your time starts … now". 

Toni wasted no time in bossing Cheryl around, her voice clear and stern. She directed Cheryl to the first hole in the wall except she misjudged the distance and instead of Cheryl’s hand easily slipping into the hole it bashed against the wall. 

"What the hell" Cheryl moaned, "Hey Topaz, do you know how much this manicure cost? Be a bit more careful would you". 

 

Toni didn't reply but he pulled a hilarious face instead. 

Cheryl stuck her hand successfully into the whole this time only to be attacked by crabs making Cheryl swear. With Toni egging her on she managed to find the first star and put it in her bag.

"That's one star down, you have ten left to go". 

With the first star got they thought it was going well and easy until Cheryl heard a loud scream in her ear and then suddenly something or maybe even many somethings fell on top of her. 

"Toni what the hell was that?" he asked. 

"There are now over 10 thousand cockroaches in there with you Cheryl" Dec told her. 

"Brilliant" Cheryl muttered, "Toni tell me where I'm going!" 

"I just got covered in fish guts Cheryl have a little patience" Toni got out through gritted teeth. 

They quickly got back on track though and they were on a roll. Toni giving directions and yelling out when cockroaches, spiders and biting ants got dumped on her head. Cheryl following those directions which lead her through tight spaces filled with rats and snakes and into a pit of rancid meat juices, collecting stars as she went. Both trading insults back and forth.

As Cheryl found the last star, tied to the ceiling and began undoing the complicated knot while large scorpions and ants bustled around him Dec announced "you have 60 seconds left Cheryl".

"Last star Bombshell hurry up!" 

"Not helping sketch pad" Cheryl all but growled as she got the first loop undone. The second loop however was tied tight and she couldn't for the life of her get it to loosen. "Holy shit what is on my face!"

"Yeah just be very careful there Cheryl you have a scorpion getting comfy on your head". 

"Oh hello ragamuffin" Cheryl said as she dug both fingers into the knot and finally got it to slack slightly. 

"Thirty seconds".

With one last giant groan Cheryl finally pulled the rope and the star fell free. 

"Ten seconds Cheryl get it and put it in your bag". 

She scrambled around trying to find where it landed and just as Ant and Dec's countdown reached four he stuffed it in her bag with a cheer. 

"And time is up! Very well done, let's get you both out of there".

——-

Toni may be covered in goo, fish guts and numerous insects that were trying to climb inside her pants but she had had so much fun. And the feeling that came with Ant and Dec counting out all eleven stars they'd won was the cherry on top. 

"Well done, that's eleven meals won for camp, how was that?"

"Disgusting" Toni said immediately with a giant grin. She was trying her hardest not to breathe too much in fear she passed out from the rancid smell. 

"Bit weird not being able to see anything to be honest" Cheryl replied. 

"Cheryl you didn't seem scared of anything that was down there". 

"Nah, I'm alright with creepy crawlies and that to be honest, my brother and I used to spend loads of time in the forest when we were younger so…"

"Neither did you either though Toni" Dec pointed out. 

"Yeah I grew up in a trailer park. I'm pretty used to being around bugs, and I’d go as far to say the cockroach in my old room was my best friend.”

"Not a fan of the fish guts though?"

"Aha no definitely not" 

Ant laughed "Well, well done guys, get yourselves down to camp and go meet your campmates".


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our new arrivals meet the other campers...

"Good god Toni, you stink" Cheryl said as they made their way over the iconic bridge. 

"And yet I'm still irresistible" Toni smirked back at her. 

"Undeniably irritating maybe" 

As they approached the camp they started to hear voices. It was a miracle nobody smelt them before they saw them when they popped out from behind the trees and shouted "Boo!" 

Scattered around camp were nine other people, all who jumped and screeched. 

"Hi" Toni smiled raising a goo covered hands. 

***

Up in their tree house sat Ant and Dec watched their entrance into camp before turning back to the camera. 

"Ah yes and into camp they go" Ant said. 

"And it turned out for the two new arrivals it was a family reunion" Dec added. 

Ant started laughing "we'd just like to say" he said "for the record, we had no idea about this". 

"Roll the tape" 

***

Toni and Cheryl started shaking hands with the two people and an old man who got to them first. 

Fred Andrews, the famous but unfortunately now retired actor.

Betty Cooper, world famous journalist for the New York Times. 

Veronica Lodge, the ex Broadway star and current WAG. 

And then suddenly there was a loud shout of "Toni!" Coming from a booming voice.

Toni’s face lit up as she turned to see Sweet Pea, the drummer for an indie rock band and her best friend, no brother, that she’d known since kindergarten. Her face was home to such a wide grin that she was sure the audience would lap it up. 

"Sweets? What are you doing here?". 

The video switched to Toni talking privately in the Bush Telegraph. 

She stared dead eyed into the camera. "If I'd known I was gonna be reunited with Sweet Pea and have to spend three weeks in the middle of nowhere with him I might have reconsidered" he said "He calls me tiny, like come on dude! He’s like 8 foot tall."

The camera cut back to the main camp again. This time to show Cheryl and the singer Josie McCoy in the middle of a hug, laughing. 

"Looks like you’re not the only ones who know each other" Fred said. 

"Guys" Josie said making his way over to the others "this is Cheryl Blossom, my best friend form high school." 

“Oh my god I’ve missed you so much!” Cheryl squealed.

"This is like a full on reunion isn't it" a new voice said.

Cheryl turned and gasped "You’re Reggie Mantle." She said in amazement "God what a legend, my brother is basically in love with you.”

Reggie Mantle played football for Manchester United. But instead of just using his wealth to buy himself nice things he decided to give his money to kids that didn’t have much in the way of money, often commissioning orphanages to built or new schools. He was every woman’s dream, as well as Jason Blossom’s

"As much as I love getting to know you all can someone show us to the showers before we kill you all with our stench" Toni asked. 

The place they got washed was a poor excuse for a shower. It was barely a few drops of freezing water cascading off a rock. Both Toni and Cheryl fought over the meagre drips before they came to a silent mutual agreement to share. Toni knew who Cheryl was. She’d watched her show for season upon season, and her beauty had never gone unnoticed, but showering next to her was a completely different level.  
——

They dressed into their jungle outfits and made their way back to the camp where they were immediately swallowed up and asked about a million questions. 

Betty gasped "I know where you're both from now" she exclaimed pointing first to Cheryl "You make those amazing dresses that no one can afford." and then she wheeled to Toni. "And you! My boyfriend absolutely loves you, omg he's gonna be well jealous, he’s always wanted you to design one of his tattoos". 

"Oh yeah" Jughead Jones, the aforementioned boyfriend of Betty Cooper and author of ‘July 4th’, a bestseller in 12 countries, said.

And then they wanted to know what they had to do to get into the jungle. 

"Oh god" Cheryl said from where she sat next to Josie "we had to jump out an helicopter".

Toni laughed from between Fred and Betty "yeah and this princess screamed all the way". 

Cheryl shot Toni a look that could have killed but let Toni continue on telling the story of their trial, butting in only occasionally when she thought Robert was over playing his role. It had been Cheryl who had gotten the stars after all. 

"So" Sweet Pea asked "how many stars did ya get?"

Toni, who hadn't finished telling her tale, shot her best friend a faux dirty look "yes Sweets I was getting to that" she said. 

"We got all of them" Cheryl told everyone enjoying the deadly look Toni pointed at her this time. Everyone cheered immediately jumping to congratulate them but Cheryl and Toni’s eyes remained locked together and Toni decided to repay Cheryl with a wink. 

——

Cheryl and Josie were in the Bush Telegraph, both pressed together. 

"You know so far this whole experience hasn't been all that great" Cheryl said "being pushed out an helicopter and bossed around by the five foot tall version of Gordon Ramsay. But then I come here and look who I find!" 

Josie cheered, "I guess it's true what Jason said. You really can't go anywhere without bumping into a Blossom". 

——

Back in the jungle night had fallen and the fire was the only beacon of light. 

Toni and Cheryl were busy unpacking onto their hammocks. "Looks like we're hammock twins." Toni said to Cheryl from the hammock right next to hers. 

Cheryl looked Toni up and down before ultimately giving her a half smirk and a half deadpan stare. "If you snore I will kick you out". 

Toni merely grinned. Before he could fire off a retort she was distracted by the giant satchel lowering into camp. She gasped and nearly tripped into the fire in her haste to get there, thankfully Cheryl was there to catch her fall. 

"Look at it" Toni said in disbelief as she unpacked what was apparently kangaroo and sweet potatoes. She’d cooked with many foreign foods before but nothing like this. 

She didn't even wait for anyone to give her permission to be the chef she just took charge straight away too fascinated by the meat and all the ideas running through her head. It took a second to get used to cooking on an open fire with such limited resources but she soon got the hang of it. 

Cooking was in her blood. It's what she'd learnt from her mother before she’d died. 

In no time at all she was presenting the campmates with their first serving of Toni Topaz’ world famous to die for food. 

—-

"We're down at camp now to check in on our two new arrivals and also to announce who's taking part in the next bush tucker trial" Dec whispered.

"But first" Ant added "let's just double check Cheryl didn't murder Toni in her sleep for snoring too loud"

The sight of the two men disappeared and instead showed the tapes from the night before.

The place was silent barring the sound of light snores and the turtles from birds above. 

The clock in the corner of the screen read 2:13am as Toni’s head peeked out from her hammock. She'd felt something brush up against her. At first she'd ignored it, thinking it was part of her unease but then she felt it again, this time harder, almost like a kick. She looked around until eventually she spotted Cheryl next to her. Her pale leg was hanging out right next to Toni and yet by some miracle she hadn't fallen head first onto the floor. Cheryl’s leg spasmed again, kicking out and making Toni’s hammock sway back and forth. 

"Cheryl" she hissed "Cher". She kicked her leg out against Cheryl’s and the designer let out a strangled scream before waking up breathing heavy. 

"Hey hey. Hey Cher you're fine. You're okay it's Toni " she said attempting to sit up but finding it tricky. 

"TT?" She heard a whisper. 

"Yeah Bombshell it's me" 

There was a moment of silence. "Did you kick me?" 

"Er yeah" she said feeling a bit guilty now that she'd seen her reaction "sorry. You were .. you were kicking out and- are you okay?"

She heard shuffling around and through the darkness Toni made out Cheryl’s shadow getting back into bed. 

"I'm fine. Just a nightmare. I'm not really good with new places" Cheryl admitted sheepishly and Toni was taken back by his vulnerability. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" 

"No. No I'm good" Cheryl said sounding uncomfortable and awkward "sorry I woke you up".

Toni wanted to say more. She wanted to make sure she was really ok but before she could Cheryl mumbled a "night" and flipped over back to sleep. 

 

—-

"Morning campers!" The cheery voice of Ant boomed through camp. 

"Morning" everyone called back. 

"Toni, Cheryl. Nice to see you two here, how's camp life treating you?" Dec asked. 

"It's just like camping when I was a kid" Toni said "I used to hate camping" 

That made everyone laugh. 

"What about you Cheryl?"

"Er it's kind of like when I ran away from home at 13 and slept in a park for the weekend but with more snakes" 

This didn't make the camp laugh as much but the presenters swiftly changed subjects. 

"Right the public have been voting for which one of you are going to take part in Up To Your Neck In It" Ant said. 

"In no particular order ...Josie It's not you" Dec said before going through them all until only Sweet Pea and Cheryl were left. 

"The celebrity taking part in Up To Your Neck In It is ...Cheryl!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this one! <3


	3. Chapter 3

Cheryl made her way down to the trial clearing. 

"I knew it was gonna be me" she told the camera, "my brother said he was gonna make it family law that they all vote for me". 

She made her way into the clearing where the two presenters were waiting. "Morning" she said to them. 

"Mornin'" they replied with mischievous grins. 

"I'd say it's nice to see yah but that would be a lie" Cheryl rocked up in front of them, looking around in apprehension. 

"You know we actually get that quite a lot" Dec told her with a sigh. 

"Right Cheryl shall we tell you what you're in store for today?" Ant asked excitedly.

"Do you have to? Can we not just switch off the cameras and go get a brew?" 

"Aha unfortunately it doesn't quite work like that". 

Cheryl slapped her leg sarcastically, "damn it". 

"Welcome to Up to Your Neck in It, as you can see, over here there's a giant tank, well you're gonna be in that tank and you're going to be getting the stars, sounds easy right?"

"If you say so" Cheryl said "but I'm sure it's not" 

"I don't know I haven't tried it" Dec pointed out "of course you can stop the trial at any point by saying the magic words"

"So you gonna give it a go?" Ant asked. 

Cheryl shrugged, "I mean I walked all this way, I may as well". 

The two other men laughed, "fair enough let's get you in place". 

***

Cheryl was inside the plastic tank, goggles on and feeling like a right prat. 

"You ready Cheryl?"

"If I have to be" she said. 

"You'll have ten minutes to get all eleven stars" Dec announced, "your time starts … now". 

Cheryl was confused for a split second because there was absolutely nothing in the tank with her but then she felt it. Something began falling fast onto her head and filling up the tank quickly. 

"What the hell is that?" She asked as the things pelted her head. 

"Falling in there with you now are mealworms" one of the presenters said, Cheryl was too busy searching through the insects to pay attention to which said it. 

Something yellow caught her eye and then disappeared a second later. The tank was filling up so fast. Cheryl dived for it, digging through until finally she found it. 

"Yes" she yelled triumphantly just as something slimy fell. 

It was worms that had started to fall from the sky. They were lukewarm against Cheryl’s xposed skin making her shiver from the gross feeling. As she followed the sight of the second star one landed on her lip and she shrieked.

"Looks like that one wanted a kiss" 

"Yuck" Cheryl grimaced, bashing the thing away but diving after the star all the same. 

Minutes passed and more bugs fell. Next was beetles and spiders and cockroaches, stars falling right along with them which Cheryl managed to collect and stuff in her bag. 

At the five minute mark the pile of bugs was up to her neck and she could barely move her arms and legs. 

"Right Cheryl, for the remaining five minutes all you have to do is stay in there. Six stars have already fallen which means that now, every minute that passes is a meal won for camp". 

"Awesome" Cheryl aid trying not to move to much. 

From what she'd seen on the telly this wasn't as bad as she was expecting, although the feeling of cockroaches running round in her knickers wasnt the nicest of things. 

She heard the tank hatch open and something tree like fell in next to her. And then suddenly her face started to itch like mad. 

"In there now are Green Ants". 

"Ow, nasty little buggers aren't they" she swore as they climbed about her face. 

The pain only got worse from there. 

A minute later came giant scorpions. And after that crabs. One crab in particular took a liking to Cheryl and it held onto her ear with all his might. 

"And finally we have the snakes". 

The snakes were probably the worst. They slithered around her neck like a noose. 

She closed her eyes and tried to block out the pain of the crab clinging to her and the snake getting closer and closer.

And finally. Finally! She began to hear the countdown of "Ten.. nine..."

"And time!" they cheered. 

Cheryl had to stand still for another second or two while they removed the snake and the crabs before she was hoisted up and out. 

She immediately started to shake about because bugs got absolutely everywhere. It gave totally new meaning to ants in her pants. 

"Well done Cheryl! Come over here, how was that?"

"Easier than yesterday to be honest" Cheryl said still shaking and dancing about. 

"Right well, you went the full five minutes so that's five minutes right there in the bag, let's see how many more you got". 

Cheryl started counting out the stars from the bag, throwing them down on the floor. ".. Four… Five and Six". 

"Well done that's all eleven meals for camp, get back up there and tell 'em that they're in for a treat tonight!"

***

"What do you think Cheryl’s doing right now?" Toni asked the girls. 

She’d been whisked away to the pond by Veronica and Betty for a swim and a sunbathe and probably also to stop Toni from strangling Sweet Pea (as he still hadn’t told her how he’d got on the show). 

"I don't know" Veronica said, "probably something gross".

"She'll do it though, doesn't seem like the kind of girl to take losing well" Betty added. 

Toni only hummed, thinking of last night and how Cheryl had seemed genuinely afraid and out of it. She was so deep in her own thoughts of Cheryl hat she missed what Veronica had said and only caught the tail end of Betty’s reply. "Not likely, he's gay". 

Toni looked at them confused, "who's gay?"

"Cheryl you nitwit" Sweet Pea exclaimed, walking into the clearing and flicking her ear.

"Oh" Toni said "really?"

Veronica shook her head and started to tell the story of how Cheryl had become one of the biggest LGBT+ reality stars and how the media had a field day with it. 

"Which is why Reggie was sad. He kind of fancies her" Betty murmured from where she laid.

"Er not fancy, she's just a fantasy. She’s too young for him unfortunately" then she turned to Toni, "but not too young for you" she said with a raised eyebrow. 

Toni went pink and laid back down, hiding her head in her discarded t shirt. "Don't know what your talking about". 

"Pft course you don't" Veronica said but thankfully said no more leaving Toni to the sun and her thoughts. 

***

Cheryl was welcomed back to the camp with so much excitement, everyone waking up from their naps to see her. 

She happily accepted some water off Fred before telling the tale of what she'd gone through. She even showed them all her bleeding ear. 

Once she was finished Cheryl whipped off her t-shirt because she stunk of bugs and she was sure there was still some worms stuck to her back. 

"Cheryl wait" Betty called after her in alarm as she made to leave camp.

"Oh god there's still a bunch of worms on me isn't there?" She swivelled around trying to see. 

"No" Betty said and Cheryl was starting to get worried by the tone of her voice, "no I think we need to call a medic".

Cheryl was really confused now. She looked down and started to run her hand over her chest checking she wasn't actually hurt. And then she ran her hands over the scars that covered her chest. 

"You mean these?" She asked Betty.

"Yes" she said, "did something scratch you?"

Cheryl was really touched by Betty’s worry. "no, no Betty I'm fine really thank you. I've had these since I was younger".

Cheryl managed to make a quick escape to the shower to wash off all the bugs and she spent the rest of the day swimming and sleeping and hanging out with Josie.

*** 

Dinner that night was ostrich. Toni had appointed herself chef again with the help of Josie while Sweet Pea dazzled the camp with tales of their childhood. Cheryl noticed the way Toni frequently rolled her eyes as he spoke. 

When dinner was served Betty sat herself down next to her.

"I truly am sorry" she mumbled to Cheryl about earlier. The girls explained to me how you got those scars and I really didn't mean to pry". 

"Oh don't worry about it Betty" Cheryl said, "it was really sweet of you, and it's not something i'm ashamed of them or anything".

"I used to cut myself as a kid" She explained. "I had a bit of a messed up childhood and then there was me being ashamed of being gay and I took it out on myself" 

Betty put a hand on her shoulder. 

"I used to be well ashamed of it. Especially when I got into TV and I had random people commenting on it. " she continued "but then i realised they weren't a sign of my weakness. They showed that I'd survived. And I think it's important to talk about you know, for other people, if he kids to know that they're not alone and that it does get better". 

*** 

"You okay?" Toni asked Cheryl as they were walking to the dunny, getting ready for bed. "I overheard a bit of your conversation with Betty, just wanted to check-" 

"I'm good" Cheryl said from where she sat, wondering if now was the best time for this conversation, while she was actually on the toilet. 

"I didn't mean to but in or anything it's just- it's really admirable what you said about not being ashamed and showing others it gets better-" Toni was on a roll as she whispered into the night "I'm not saying I ever- my uncle, he found me in an old barn once. With a girl". 

Cheryl tried to finish up her business as quickly and quietly as she could while also trying to let Toni talk. 

"Her name was Leah." Toni continued, "she was a farm hand, only a year older and well it was a boring summer. One thing led to another and then in the end... well he found us snogging and in the end I had a black eye to go with the hickey". 

Cheryl chose that moment to step out and look towards Toni who was biting her lip. "Never told anyone that before" she admitted. 

"Your uncle was a dick." Cheryl said simply which was just what Toni needed after admitting something like because she burst out laughing.

**Author's Note:**

> Come shout at me on tumblr @chikdnoodleness
> 
> Validate me frens <3


End file.
